CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background In International Relations, there are several theories that are conceptualized for the sole purpose of explaining on what is going on in the natural world.1 Such theories creates a perspective that are divided into several school of thoughts, such as Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, etc. the theories that are giving ontological values toward international relations. The author will rely heavily on two theories of International Relations, the Realism and Constructivism theory in order to explained and criticize the foreign policy of Indonesia under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, especially his second term that lasted from 2009 – 2014. The Author will mainly describe SBY’s foreign policy through the perspective of Constructivism and then try to build criticism towards it from the perspective of Realism theory of International Relations in order to truly understand the motivations and weaknesses of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s foreign policy. Indonesia, since its birth in 1945 has been very active, arguably aggressive, in conducting their foreign policy, from the “pursuit of legitimacy” and “non-alignment” era of the old order under Soekarno, the “rebuilding and 1 Viotti, Paul R., and Mark V. Kauppi. 1. International Relations Theory. 4th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. P. 2-3. Print. economic restructuring” of the new order under Soeharto2, until the recent self- promoting and democratic foreign policy of the reform era under various Presidents. Indonesia’s foreign policy is conceptualized and executed under its own principle of “Independent and Active”3 which was the term that is coined by Mohammad Hatta, the first Vice-President of Indonesia. In a sense, the principle emphasize on the neutrality of Indonesia, Mohammad Hatta in his essay (1953) emphasized that “By Practicing her independent and Active policy, Indonesia endeavors to seek friendship with all nations – whatever their ideology or form of government – upon a basis of mutual respect.”4 Such foreign policy has been continued until today that it is already a part of Indonesia’s identity in its foreign policy, a principle that is rooted on old practice and mindset that is set upon by Indonesia’s forefathers.5 Fast forward to the Reform era, it can be seen that Indonesia foreign policies are beginning to take a more democratic approach, mainly during Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) governance. SBY is the first democratically elected President of Indonesia, in which his entire two period, that lasted for about 10 years, arguably has managed to bring stabilization to Indonesia and also encourages economic growth6 while having a good approach in its foreign policy, 2 Vatikiotis, Michael R. J. Indonesian Politics under Suharto: The Rise and Fall of the New Order. 3rd ed. London: Routledge, 1998. P. 179-82. Print. 3 Hatta, Mohammad. Indonesia's Foreign Policy. S.l: Author, 1953. P. 444. Web. 4 Hatta, Mohammad. Indonesia Between the Power Blocs, Foreign Affairs, 1958. Web. 5 Sukma, Rizal. The Evolution of Indonesia's Foreign Policy: An Indonesian View. Asian Survey 35.3 (1995): 304-15. Web. 6 Acharya, AmitaV. "Chapter 2: DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT AND STABILTY Creating a Virtuous Cycle." Indonesia Matters: Asia's Emerging Democratic Power. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 19-43. Print. sticking to the non-alignment and neutrality principle that Indonesia maintained since its conception.7 In International Relations, the influence of a country can determine the role of that country in the international community, thus increasing international influence plays crucial role in the foreign policy of a country that aspire to be great. If one country has a better influence, it will gain more leverage and an advantage in bargaining with other countries. In gaining that position of influence, Indonesia, in its foreign policy focuses more on the increase of its own national image to become a country that dependent on its neutrality and non-alignment, to gain relative benefits through multilateral and bilateral cooperation with every country. Such policy can build a perception of Indonesia as a country that has “Thousand friends, Zero enemies”8. Indonesia is aware of its rising prominence in the world. Its new status has been a recurring theme in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s governance, especially on his second term that lasts from 2009 until 2014. SBY’s motivation of increasing the national image of Indonesia as a country that is not only a rising power but also true to his foreign policy concept of “Thousand Friends, Zero Enemy” identity can be seen in his address to the nation each year to mark the country’s Independence Day. In 2011, Yudhoyono gave a speech on Indonesia’s Independence day, by telling the nation that it had shaken off its 60 year old tag as 7 Hatta, Mohammad. Indonesia's Foreign Policy. S.l: Author, 1953. Web. 8 Puspitasari, Irfa. Indonesia’s New Foreign Policy – “Thousand Friends, Zero Enemy”, New Delhi: IDSA Brief. 2. a third world country to become an emerging economy.9 The world increasingly frequently asks, “What does Indonesia think?” on global problems, the president said to Indonesians in 2012.10 “Indonesia resolves to always be part of the solution to global problems”, he remarked in his 2013 speech.11 Those speeches proves that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is trying to assert the foreign policy identity of Indonesia’s foreign policy of a friendly and good willed country in order to gain influence in international relations. In the same context, the Indonesian public now expects Indonesia to have an influence not only in its region but also other corners of the globe. Twenty per cent of Indonesians nominated Indonesia as one of the ten most influential countries in the world in polling conducted by the Lowy Institute in 2011.12 Therefore, Indonesia’s foreign policy under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono put an emphasis in building foreign policy identity that is reflected such aspiring concept (Thousand friends, Zero enemies), which is an identity that Indonesia is a country that have a good willed nature with other country and have a principal value of making good relations with countries. The foreign policy identity building is important, in regards with Indonesian foreign policy, it helps building the influence needed in order to have a bigger part in international relations. 9 Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono “Pidato Kenegaraan Presiden RI Dalam Rangka HUT Ke-66 Proklamasi Kemerdekaan RI di Depan Sidang Bersama DPD dan DPR RI,” [speech, Jakarta, 16 August 2011]. 10 Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono “Pidato Kenegaraan HUT Ke-67 Proklamasi Kemerdekaan RI di Depan Sidang Bersama DPR dan DPD RI,” speech, Jakarta, 16 August 2012. 11 Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono “Pidato Kenegaraan dalam rangka HUT ke-68 Proklamasi Kemerdekaan RI,” speech, Jakarta, 16 August 2013. 12 Fergus Hanson, Shattering Stereotypes: Public Opinion and Foreign Policy. Sydney: Lowy Institute. 2012. P. 22. Yet, the importance afforded to Indonesia as much reflects its anticipated future influence as it does its current power. Currently, even in relative terms Indonesia is not a great military or economic power, a fact that Indonesian officials readily admit. “In terms of military and economic muscle ... Jakarta must rely mostly on projecting soft power”, said Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a vice- presidential advisor in her article on Europe’s World, although she writing in her private capacity.13 As the focus of this research, we can see that Indonesia’s foreign policy, under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, have evolved to a more engaging kind, the kind that tries not only redefining its position and relevancy, but also asserting it. Such approach was largely thanks to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono policy of foreign policy identity building, in which he is focusing on building the image of Indonesia as a tool of increasing and gaining influence in international relations. Gaining international influence means a lot for Indonesia, especially after battling for legitimacy since its freedom from the Dutch and surviving the cold- war by remaining neutral, thus foreign policy is one of its most important agenda. Today, as we are nearing the end of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) second- term, Indonesia’s future once more will be determined collectively as we soon embarking on the journey to democratically elect the new President of the Republic of Indonesia. 13 Anwar, Dewi Fortuna, Indonesia’s wary thinking on foreign policy. Europe’s World. 2013. http://europesworld.org/2013/06/01/indonesias-wary-thinking-on-foreign- policy/#.VFiUVYcu4Xw. Web. This landmark not only very important to the domestic audience but also the international audience too, where the new President of Indonesia have the full and legal power to alter the fate of Indonesia’s foreign policy or continuing on the foundations that already been laid upon during SBY’s tenure. In this topic, those foreign policy “foundations” that already being laid by SBY, which is the “Thousand Friends, Zero Enemy” Foreign Policy Identity, arguably give Indonesia a position of influence that it craves. The main focus of this research will mainly about the events that have happened during SBY’s second terms of Presidency and the progress he already made. Thus the author will focuses on several policies that Indonesia has made during SBY’s second term of governance, that mainly revolves around the level of influence Indonesia have in ASEAN, the establishment of Code of Conduct in South China Sea and also Bali Democracy Forum that was seen as a tool for Indonesia to assert its original intention of building a foreign policy identity in order to gain international influence. However, the author sees that such foreign policy approach, even though it is beneficial for Indonesia, it doesn’t seem to be very impacting in the long run; the author believes that true influence can only be attained if one country has tangible capabilities.